


Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson

by astronbookfilms (galaxyture)



Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes (1984 TV), Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Gen, M/M, Meta, Nonfiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2019-02-11 14:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12937119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxyture/pseuds/astronbookfilms
Summary: These essays are about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson and their interactions and relationship. Obviously, the episode analysis series includes comments about them, but these essays focus exclusively or almost exclusively on Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. Some essays are gen Sherlock Holmes & Dr. John Watson and some will discuss the possibility of Holmes/Watson.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Granada Holmes and Personal Space; Chapter 2: A Queer Reading of "A Scandal in Bohemia"; Chapter 3: "A Queer Reading of 'The Master Blackmailer'; Chapter 4: The Intimacy of John (the importance of names); 


	2. Sherlock Holmes on Granada Holmes and Personal Space

Usually Holmes gets in people’s personal space to make them uncomfortable (the King in “A Scandal in Bohemia”, Captain Croker in “The Abbey Grange”, etc), fight them (Moriarty in "The Final Problem", etc), or tackle and subdue them (Beppo in "The Six Napoleons", etc). He tends to gets in Watson’s personal space when one of them, usually Holmes, craves reassurance and emotional support or safety.


	3. A Queer Reading of "A Scandal in Bohemia"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter explains why the canon story and Granada Holmes adaptation of "A Scandal in Bohemia" does not shut down a queer reading and in fact enhances it.

“To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that he felt any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler,” A Scandal in Bohemia 

When I read “A Scandal in Bohemia” it never occurred to me that anyone could think there was anything romantic between Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. Even after seeing several adaptations turn her into a love interest I do not see how the Irene Adler in Doyle’s story is a suitable choice for Holmes’ love interest. Is it because there are no other women who would fit the bill? She doesn’t care in the least about him. He is an inconvenience to her. In her last letter she admits to respecting him as an adversary as he temporarily fooled her, but there is never an indication that she had any romantic feelings or desires for him.

At the time ACD wrote “A Scandal in Bohemia” it would have been dangerous for him to write anything that overtly said that Holmes had an interest in men or, more dangerously, that there was something romantic/sexual between him and Watson. That same would have been true if a real Dr. John Watson was writing the story. In many ways this story is at least as much protection from accusations of indecency as “The Sign of Four” without giving Holmes a female romantic interest and yet at the same time it does not shut down a queer reading of Sherlock Holmes. 

“A Scandal in Bohemia” was published in 1891. Section 61 of The Offences against the Person Act 1861 declared homosexuality illegal and punishable by imprisonment. In The Labouchere Amendment, section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 the law was extended to include any sexual activity between males (1). Thus, a man who was married to a woman and had children with her could imprisoned if he was proven (and sometimes the proof was not very strong) to have participated in a sexual act with a man. The Cleveland Street scandal involving a homosexual male brothel being discovered by the police and the government being accused of covering it up to protect aristocrats and other predominant patrons occurred in 1889. Doyle (and Watson if you are reading the stories as if he was telling them) would have needed to protect the stories from accusations that Holmes and/or Watson could have participated in homosexual actions either with each other or other men. 

In light of the time period when “A Scandal in Bohemia” was published one cannot reasonably argue that if Doyle intended Holmes and/or Watson to have an attraction to men and particularly each other he would have made it explicitly clear. Doyle never explicitly denies that Watson and particularly Holmes is homoerotically inclined nor that they are a couple. 

In canon Watson’s marriages would appear to many to deny that he was homoerotically inclined and a relationship with Holmes. However, married men did have relationships with men and there are so many inconsistencies in Watson’s marriage (and the question of why she thinks his name is James rather than John) that one can question their existence particularly if you read the books as if Watson was in fact writing them. Shouldn’t he remember whether or not he was married? I haven’t timelined the marriages myself, but I know people who do have sometimes ended up with seven or eight marriages. If the marriages were real it makes one wonder why none of his marriages last and the most likely reason is he was constantly leaving her to go off with Holmes. In “A Scandal in Bohemia” he mentions spending the night at 221B with no mention of notifying his wife nor a crucial reason it was necessary instead of going home to Mrs. Watson. A full discussion of his marriages goes beyond “A Scandal in Bohemia”.

Sir Conan Doyle argued that Oscar Wilde should not have been imprisoned for his actions and perhaps more notably later defended Roger Casement. 

It is also noteworthy that the laws only forbid sexual acts. There was no law- and no such law could ever be enforced- that prohibited romantic love between men. In Victorian England women were expected to be virgins until they were married. Not all women followed this dictate, but many did. It is possible to have a romantic love for someone before you have sex with them. An asexual reading of both canon Holmes and Granada Holmes is a reasonable one. That does not necessarily entail an aromatic one. The stories, both in canon and Granada Holmes, only work if Watson is prioritizing Holmes and it is clear that in both canon and Granada Holmes the most important person in Holmes’ life is Watson. On Granada Holmes Watson never marries and we never see him going beyond commenting on a woman’s attractiveness. Bisexuality existed in Victorian England just as it does in today’s world.

By the time the Granada Holmes adaptation of “A Scandal in Bohemia” was filmed homosexuality was no longer illegal in Britain. Unfortunately, it was still unmarketable. To show Holmes and Watson as a confirmed couple or either one of them as anything other than straight would have doomed the show from the start. Granada Holmes did eliminate some of the “protections” against such a reading most notably by leaving Watson a bachelor. 

Watson’s introduction talks about Holmes’ admiration for Irene Adler and declares that she is the woman who has had the most effect on him. In the same paragraph he explicitly states that Holmes did not love her and that Holmes personally found the softer emotions to be abhorrent. This makes it clear that Holmes does not have a sexual and romantic attachment to women. A heteronormative audience will read this as Holmes is asexual as they will not consider the possibility of Holmes having a sexual and/or romantic interest in a man. 

The later part is not gender specific so it would seem to shut down a queer reading of Holmes and Holmes/Watson. However, considering Watson is writing the story IF there was something between him and Holmes he would have needed to hide it. Alternately, he could not know that Holmes was homoerotically inclined (and possibly in love and/or desired Watson). A third alternate is that he knew Holmes was homoerotically inclined and did not wish his friend to go to prison. If you read the stories as Doyle writing them he would have known the consequences of confirming or even not finding plausible deniability of a homoerotic reading of his stories. Neither Doyle nor Watson would have risked their safety and success of their stories by having Holmes interested in a woman. They would have done so by confirming he had an interest in men and especially that he was in a relationship with a man. 

The Granada Holmes adaptation gives subtle signs that Holmes does experience and express the softer emotions in relation to Watson. He makes sure that Watson’s favorite cigars are available upon his return and lays his hand gently on Watson’s as asks if Watson is hungry and suggests that Mrs. Hudson could make Watson a sandwich. We see the strong bond between them throughout the episode. 

To add to the impossibility of a romantic and/or sexual relationship between Holmes and Irene Norton in canon not only has she married and left England, but Watson in the story which is published three years after the events take place in the fictional universe Watson refers to her as “the late Irene Adler” meaning that she has died. On Granada Holmes she is not referred to as “late Irene Adler” so there is no indication she has died, but she also never appears again.

Instead of Holmes simply recounting his first encounter with Irene Adler to Watson we are shown it. This makes sense when you translate the story into a visual medium. There is nothing in the adaptation that showed her to be romantically interested in Holmes especially when you consider her initial expression of gratitude to him is for serving as a witness in her marriage to another man and the conversation and kiss between her and her new husband is very romantic. However they added a softness to her that was not in the canon story. In abstract this is not a bad thing especially since any decent person should thank someone for standing in as an emergency witness at their wedding and being concerned about a man who was seemingly badly injured trying to protect her, but some people assume that anytime a woman shows basic decency and kindness towards a man they are not biologically related to they must have an attraction to them. 

The fact that the woman Holmes would refer to as “The Woman” is an unconventional, independent, strong woman who wishes his good-night dressed as a man and who he presumes is a man also does not contradict a queer reading and in fact can enhance it. Many of the qualities she possessed and the ones Holmes admired are qualities that at the time were considered “masculine” qualities. It is a woman with many “masculine” qualities that in his mind eclipses all other women.

The ultimate bad guy in the story is Holmes’ client, the King. Even after Holmes’ interactions with her he is still planning to steal the photo of her and the King. Normally Holmes cares far more about justice than money. He does not take money from clients he know cannot pay. In the canon story he wants the money to entice Watson to join him. In canon the line “I would be lost without my Boswell” is quite sad as we see that Holmes has been indeed lost since Watson’s marriage. On Granada Holmes there is no reason Holmes should value the money more than justice. Watson was happy by the idea of the money, but Watson’s “if it is for a good cause” comments makes it clear that he also values justice above money.

In the canon story it is Watson, not Holmes, who feels ashamed for conspiring against her, but to Watson betraying Holmes is unthinkable and he throws the smoke rocket. Had Holmes valued her more than Watson why would he have continued to plan to steal from her? 

When Holmes comments that she is “a woman a man would be willing to die for” Holmes does not act like a man either embracing the idea or being embarrassed about having a crush and calls it an expression, but continues in the same matter-of-fact manner and voice that he uses when describing any case. He is far too clear headed for a man who many adaptations would have the audience believe is experiencing love and attraction for the first time. His early comment about her beauty is simply him quoting other men. 

Both the King and Godfrey Norton knew of her independent and strong spirit and dressing habits that gave her freedom in a society that constrained women and yet loved her so clearly a man could love a woman like her. However, the fact Holmes’ ideal woman sometimes presents herself as a man- including to him- can easily validate the idea that any attraction that he had- whether or not he acted on it- was towards men. 

Irene Adler/Norton is a beautiful woman, but Holmes frequently encounters beautiful women. Gayle Hunnicut is beautiful, but no more beautiful than other actresses we see on the show. Yet Irene Adler has remained unique to Holmes. Thus, it can not be physical beauty that is why Holmes considers her unique.

Watson comments that Holmes keeps Irene Norton’s picture locked up in a drawer. This shuts down the reading that he uses it for sexual purposes. 

Watson compliments Holmes on his disguise in the cab. Disguises are often associated with queer characters and real people in homophobic societies, but since Holmes had another pragmatic reason for it I don’t think this in and of itself is a strong argument.

Furthermore, according to Watson’s narration since Irene Adler/Norton Holmes has not made fun of the (lack) of cleverness of women. Had Holmes’ reaction to Irene Adler/Norton been romantic and/or sexual his change in attitude would much more likely have been towards romantic and sexual attraction. If those were the feelings he experienced it would made sense for him to change to be less dismissive of others who experience them. Instead the change is that a woman can be clever and more clever than him if he underestimates her cleverness. 

Many people are uncomfortable with any man who does not express a sexual interest in women whether because he is gay or because he does not have an interest in sex. The idea that part of being a man is to have a sexual interest in women is ingrained in society. Ultimately, one’s views on Holmes’ thoughts and feelings in canon about Irene Norton nee Adler come down in large part to whether you believe that a man can admire and respect a woman who is not a biological relative without having a sexual attraction to them. Many men and some women really don’t think that is possible. If that is your view you are going to see Holmes as desiring Irene Adler regardless of Watson’s introduction or Holmes’ own behavior. 

To argue that canon or Granada Holmes Irene Adler desired Holmes requires a complete misreading of the story. There are many ambiguous things on Granada Holmes, but this is not one of them. She was in love with her husband. She married and left England with her husband. She appreciated Holmes serving as a witness at her wedding, but it is hardly a declaration of love to thank him for helping her marry another man. She showed compassion towards him when she thought he was seriously injured, but that is very much in keeping with being a good person. Everyday people help those who have been injured without being attracted to them. Holmes temporarily fooled her and she respected him for it. On Granada Holmes we see her on the boat with her new husband and then kissing him in front of a bed. She may respect Holmes, but she loves Godfrey. After all, in her letter she refers to Holmes as antagonist, hardly a term one would use towards someone they romantically or sexually desire.

A love that must be kept secret is a theme in “A Scandal in Bohemia”. The King hires Holmes because he wants the picture back so that the princess he plans to marry’s family won’t find out about his previous relationship with Irene Adler. On Granada Holmes even during the relationship it was kept secret as we can see by the blindfolded musicians in the flashback. Irene Adler’s marriage to Godfrey Norton is done is secret in case they needed to leave quietly to outwit the King. One can reasonably wonder whether that theme also refers to homosexual love which three years later Lord Alfred Douglas would describe as “the love that dare not speak its name” (1).

In telling Holmes and Watson his story the King talks about how any hint of questionable behavior on his part would prevent his planned marriage. We immediately see a flashback of him with Irene Adler. She is dressed in male attire and looking very flirty and raising a glass to the woman performing a risqué routine on stage. The implication is that the King having been with a woman who sometimes dresses as a man and is bisexual would have been deemed scandalous enough to prevent his marriage. It also serves as a reminder that it was risky to even be associated with someone who was not straight and/or gender non-conforming. For public figures, which Holmes and Watson, overly showing that one or both of them are homoerotically inclined and/or non-gender conforming (and there is much more prejudice then and now about a man having stereotypically feminine attributes versus a woman having stereotypically masculine ones) would have resulted in scandal. 

I don’t think that one is obligated to pay attention to the statements and motivations by those involved in creating a TV show. After all people find meaning in Shakespeare’s plays without any interviews with him. However, if you are someone who enjoys BTS information this is a notable quote from a booklet that comes with the Granada Holmes Blu Ray boxed set: “Irene Adler’s participation in a Sherlock Holmes movie is usually the occasion for misguided filmmakers to fabricate a romance between the friendly antagonists; happily, Granada avoids the temptation” (Source: http://inevitably-johnlocked.tumblr.com/post/149419188925/bbcatemysoul-as-i-was-saying-the-other-day)

Brett was not satisfied with his grasp of Holmes in “A Scandal in Bohemia” and struggled with how Holmes should react when Irene Norton is kneeling next to him to tend to his head wound. He headcannoned that it was the first time he had been that close to a woman’s femininity (source: Bending the Willow). This makes it clear that as Brett played him Holmes had never had sex with a woman.

As for the episode itself “Bending the Willow” points out “The opening sequence shows Watson returning to Barker Street and his friend Sherlock Holmes following a trip into the country. Watson is ‘filled with apprehension’ as to his companion’s mood. Cunningly, we are immediately alerted to the uncertain nature of the relationship that exists between the two men. It has all the uncharted domestic connotations of marriage.” 

I am not arguing that one must accept a queer reading of Holmes, Watson, or Holmes and Watson as a couple. This post is to argue that “A Scandal in Bohemia” in both canon and on Granada Holmes does not shut down the possibility and contains evidence in its favour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Ironically, one of the factors in the passage for the Labouchere Amendment was the Dublin Castle Scandal. The barristers defending French had the surnames Holmes, who was a Queen’s Counsel, and Sherlock. ([Source](http://artemisastarte.tumblr.com/post/168227798551/an-idea-for-anyone-reading-wisteria-lodge-this))
> 
> 2\. I used the term Queer Reading because there is a genre of literary analysis called Queer Literature and of film analysis called Queer Cinema. Also, it encompasses all non-straight sexualities.


	4. Is it Holmes & Watson or Holmes/Watson?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This fic and explores the boundary between Holmes and Watson as platonic friends and Holmes and Watson as romantic partners.

**FIC**  
After the incident with the Devil’s Foot Holmes appeared to have recovered his health and good spirits, but he pushed ahead too quickly and a few days later he was quite unwell. He spent most of the day in bed sleeping. As the sun started to dip lower into the sky I checked on him and found him still in bed, but with his eyes open.

I walked over to his bed, sat down, and laid my hand on his forehead relieved to discover that his earlier fever had left him. His hair was still damp and without thinking I brushed errant strands off his forehead. He let out a sound that reminded me of a cat purring. He did not appear to be embarrassed by the sound as I would have expected, but instead looked fondly at me.

Not sure what to say I continued to stroke his hair. He was silent, but his gaze remained affectionate and I knew that affection was mirrored in my own gaze. After a few minutes I cleared my throat and told him to get some sleep.

**META**  
Is the fic above Holmes/Watson shipper fanfic, platonic friendship, or could it be either one? Does it go beyond what we see on the show?

On the show we see them look fondly at each other. They are very physically comfortable with each other. In "The Empty House" Watson pulls a blanket over Holmes and stands back to look affectionately at him sleeping. In "The Man with the Twisted Lip"” Holmes wakes Watson up by tapping his bare foot.

Resting your hand on someone’s forehead to get a rough estimate of their temperature, especially when you are a doctor, does not necessarily indicate sexual desire nor an interest in a romantic relationship.

On the other hand there is definitely an intimacy to the gesture and the description of it. There is no indication that Holmes or Watson are in a relationship unless it is with each other. If Holmes and Watson were a confirmed couple the fanfic would probably be classified as a cute shipper moment.

I suspect that some people will read the above fanfic as Holmes/Watson shipper fanfic and others as strong platonic friendship. I know Holmes/Watson is controversial in Granada Holmes fandom with some strong views on both sides, but reading people’s posts and comments I get the impression that people have different definitions of what is and isn’t Holmes/Watson. There is fanfic and fanart that I think can equally be read as strong platonic friendship or as a romance. There is fanfic that shows romance, but not necessarily sexual activity.

What is the line between close platonic friends Holmes and Watson fanfic and Holmes/Watson ‘shipper fanfic’? When they have sex? When they ‘make out’? When they kiss? Is there something that must be said to make it ‘shipper fanfic? Certainly Holmes and Watson would not have been able to be legally married. Nor would any public displays of obvious romantic or sexual interest have been wise considering it was illegal. (A friend of mine who has studied the history of homosexuality in Britain once commented sardonically that those laws were just slightly more effective at preventing homosexual activity between men than current speed limit laws are in stopping people from speeding. Also you don’t outlaw something unless people are doing it.)

With straight romances it is taken as a given that a romance would include not only sexual activity, but also companionship, casual subtle intimacy, and the sharing of one’s life. When Jim and Pam got together on the US version of "The Office" their friendship didn’t end. With relationships between two men or two women there is an unfortunate tendency to see a sexual relationship only in terms of sexual activity as if it was separate from the conversations, the light touches, the inside jokes, the bickering, and the tolerance of one’s partners quirks. Regardless of sexuality most people in long-term romantic relationships do not spend most of their time having sex. There has always been PG and G rated shipper fanfics.

I don’t believe in “warnings” for LGBTQ content as if being LGBTQ or writing characters as LGBTQ is bad because being LGBTQ is inferior to being straight. I do know that it is a fandom convention to label fanfics. With Granada Holmes it seems that due to the intimacy shown on-screen there is a grey area which can be read as either strong platonic friendship or romance.

This post is based solely on Granada Holmes. 

I wrote this several months ago and my questions about the line have only increased. On the show they fit so many of the elements of a day-to-day elements of being a couple that would generally be written about in a G or PG shipper fic.


	5. A Queer Reading of "The Master Blackmailer"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This essay examines the queer themes, the inclusion of a confirmed queer character, and Holmes' and Watson's relationship in "The Master Blackmailer".

I am putting my thoughts on Holmes and Watson and their relationship in this post. I am not arguing that everything listed means one must accept a queer reading, but trying to spread it across multiple post would be redundant and confusing. 

In judging “The Master Blackmailer” it is important to remember that it aired in 1992. I was alive in 1992, but I wasn’t old enough to have a strong knowledge of cinema and particularly LGBTQ cinema. I can go back and watch films, of course, but it isn’t the same as watching them as they came out when you are judging representation. If through some complicated scifi explanation it was filmed and aired now I would take a more negative view. If anyone who was familiar with LGBTQ films at the time would like to add their own thoughts about the Coronal Dorking subplot and representation I would love to hear your thoughts.

Sherlockians have discussed whether Wisteria Lodge involved a homosexual pickup, but Jeremy Paul did not address the question is his adaptation of the story. “A Scandal in Bohemia” strongly implies that Irene Adler is bisexual/queer as we see her raise a glass and smile flirtatiously at a female performer. It is not clear whether that was a writing choice by John Hawkesworth or a directing choice by Paul Annett. I am guessing it was the later. There are indictions that Holmes and maybe Watson are not straight, but it is never directly stated. The series at time pointedly refused to shut down queer readings, but it is in “The Master Blackmailer” that even the most heteronormative viewer cannot deny that a character is queer. 

There were blackmailers during the Victorian Era who focused exclusively on blackmailing homoerotically inclined men. A man who participated in any homosexual act no matter how many heterosexual acts he participated in could be prosecuted, but it was only slightly more successful than speed limits are at preventing people from speeding. The canon story was published in 1904; nine years after Oscar Wilde’s trial, 15 years after the Cleveland Street Scandal, and 19 years after the passage of the Labouchere Amendment. Homosexual acts would remain illegal until 1967. William S. Baring-Gould lists the case as taking place in 1899, 10 years after the Cleveland Street Scandal and 14 years after the passage of the Labouchere Amendment. The timeline of the adaptation is unclear, but regardless of the exact date blackmailing homoerotically inclined men would have been profitable.

We are not explicitly told that Coronal Dorking is gay, but we are shown that he would prefer to be with his male lover rather than his fiancee. Regardless of whether he was gay or bisexual he was cheating on her. We see him concerned about looking good for his male lover, but no indication that he has made an extra effort to look good for her. The physical affection between him and Miss Miles is less than we have seen between other couples on Granada Holmes. I never got the sense that he loved her although she clearly loved him. I know some people consider those who commit suicide (“take the soldier’s way out”) weak, but I strongly disagree with that attitude. 

In terms of Dorking’s story as representation there is the negative fact that he is betrayed by his lover versus being betrayed by a servant and the choice of culprit can play into the ‘people who are LGBTQ aren’t loyal and trustworthy’ harmful stereotype. Dorking is certainly an example of “bury your gays”. Miss Miles reaction makes sense considering society at that time, but combined with the rest it doesn’t feel like the best representation. However, that is a 2017 reaction. LGBTQ representation was less common than it was today and it seems to me that the Dorking subplot should be commended for adding a confirmed mlm character, but again I would love to hear the thoughts of people who had a better knowledge of LGBTQ representation at the time. The fact that the Sherlockian community was- and still is to a large extent outside of Tumblr- dominated by conservative leaning straight white men makes it a small step in the right direction. 

Paul chose to adds homosexual subplot that takes up quite a bit of screen time considering we already have substantial evidence of the pain Milverton inflicted without it. This makes one question whether or not there was a reason beyond filling time for adding it especially if you consider Holmes’ and Watson’s reactions both to his death specifically and the threat of blackmailers in general. If it was simply to fill time why not extend the burglary scenes?

Holmes looks devastated when he reads the letter, a reaction that is stronger than his earlier reactions to Milverton blackmailing people. He looks truly shaken. It cannot possibly be the first time he has heard of someone committing suicide because of blackmail. Nor could he hold himself responsible. Dorking wasn’t his client. This isn’t like “The Five Orange Pips”. There is no way Holmes regardless of his sexuality would have assisted in arresting someone for a homosexual liaison. That is simply not part of his character. There must be another reason Dorking’s death upsets him so much. 

Both during my university student days conversations about Sherlock Holmes and various Tumblr conversations I know fans have speculated that Milverton might have had something on Holmes. Holmes seems to genuinely not have known about Milverton, but that does not mean that Milverton did not have material on him or that Holmes doesn’t fear that Milverton has information on him. Milverton’s victims usually find out he has information on them when Milverton makes it known and we know Milverton can be patient and wait to find the perfect time to blackmail his victim. With the speed with which the letters were destroyed Holmes may never have learned whether Milverton had anything on him.

As for what Milverton had on him information about Holmes’ (and possibly Watson’s) sexuality is a likely answer. Holmes has never shown a genuine interest in a woman. He and Watson have lived together for years. Watson comments frequently on women’s attractiveness, but neither of them have married nor do we have strong evidence they have even courted a woman. In the canon stories they would have had the coverage of Watson’s marriages and their times living separately. They go on “dates” with each other to concerts and out to dinner. As David Stuart Davies, who is definitely NOT a Holmes/Watson shipper, points out in “Bending the Willow” their relationship has all the domestic connotations of a marriage. I can’t see either of them writing sexually charged letters to each other. Both are too careful in nature to take the risk, but it is possible there is evidence that could warrant a conviction for Holmes and/or Watson. Certainly they have plenty of enemies who would be happy to testify against them. Even if Milverton did not have compromising information on them it is possible that other blackmailer(s) have potentially incriminated evidence against them. 

Watson’s reaction when Holmes told him to direct his energies towards the gossip columns looked like that of a man who might have personal reasons for fearing a blackmailer. 

In contrast to Holmes' usual almost exuberant sparring with Lestrade his manner is very contained as if he is trying to hold himself together especially after Lestrade makes his comment “wouldn’t be the first time and won’t be the last”. Holmes clearly has a insight Lestrade does not in terms of what Dorking meant in the letter. Lestrade studies Holmes as if he is confused and not sure how to deal with Holmes’ unusual behavior. You can almost see the wheels turning in Lestrade’s head as if he is trying not to come to a certain conclusion or is trying not to acknowledge the conclusion. He hasn’t reacted like that when Holmes did not disclose information in the past so it suggests that perhaps he is trying to convince himself that Holmes is not homoerotically inclined. Holmes has never seemed so uncomfortable around Lestrade. He was overwhelmed in “The Six Napoleons” when Lestrade complimented him, but in this case he simply appears to be fighting and failing not to show his vulnerability. His good-bye to Lestrade is said with a finality, but also with a degree of pain.

Lestrade is an Inspector. It is highly unlikely that he would never have been part of a raid and even if he hadn’t he can’t possibly be unaware that married men sometimes had relations with men. Any logical timeline for this film would have it take place after Oscar Wilde’s trial and Wilde was married. He shouldn’t have seemed that shocked to read that an engaged man had participated in a homosexual act. 

Lestrade largely ignores Watson, but Watson is unusually upset. Watson’s reaction predated Lestrade’s callous comment so it isn’t simply that Watson knew homoerotically inclined men during his military service and didn’t appreciate Lestrade’s disrespectful comment. Watson doesn’t even say anything to Lestrade as Lestrade walked out, but slams the door in his face. Watson may side with Holmes over Lestrade most of the time, but he has never been this rude or angry at Lestrade. 

Watson starts reading the letter and the camera pans down the picture of the falls until it shows Holmes looking up at the picture. To those who knew him except for Mycroft Holmes he “died” at the falls. A parallel is, thus, drawn between Holmes’ and Dorking having taken “the soldier’s way out”. Holmes wasn’t a soldier. Watson was the soldier. Is Holmes, has Holmes, or does Holmes fear being blackmailed? If so again why is it Dorking that brings about this reaction rather than other blackmail victims? To Sherlockians the falls in many ways symbolize Holmes’ death.

Holmes’ expression is heartbreaking as Watson speculates why Milverton despises the human race. The deduction matches Holmes’ backstory in “The Secret of Sherlock Holmes” which was also written by Jeremy Paul and the background is based on Brett’s headcanon of Holmes’ background. Brett played Holmes and Hardwicke played Watson in the play. The actors knew of the parallel when they filmed that scene. Milverton hurt Dorking, a mlm, to the point that he committed suicide. Holmes hurt Watson and although not to the same degree Mrs. Hudson when he let them believe that he had gone over the falls and died. His motives were purer than Milverton’s, but he did hurt them. On Granada Holmes Watson quickly forgave Holmes. In “The Secret of Sherlock Holmes” Watson did not forgive so easily. Based on the scene sequence does “The Master Blackmailer” imply that Holmes is wondering how he would react if Milverton outed him? Is he worrying that Watson would take the soldier’s way out too if he was outed? From the time Holmes reads Dorking’s letter there is something not quite right about his emotional state and sadly the film doesn’t give that closure. 

Much as Holmes distrusts emotions and in “The Devil’s Foot” says he has never loved in reality it is his emotional connection to others that prevents him from becoming a Moriarty or Milverton. His strongest emotional connection, the one that on a daily basis makes him a better man and a better detective, is the one he has with Watson. Watson is in every sense of the phrase his conductor of light. If there is a sexual component to Holmes’ and Watson’s relationship that dark mirror parallel between Holmes and Milverton becomes even stronger. On a symbolic level Holmes and Watson symbolize love and Milverton symbolizes the destruction of love for selfish greed. 

Watson talks to Holmes while getting dressed. It isn’t entirely clear where he is dressing. However, later they talk while Holmes takes a bath with the door open and Watson is clearly in Holmes’ room. This does not definitively prove they are a couple, but they certainly are very physically comfortable with each other and those involved in the production clearly are comfortable filming them in a way that fits with a queer reading of them. Any changes between Victorian England and now are irrelevant as the film aired in 1992 and it was the 1992 audience they had in mind. I’ve known plenty of men who have lived together with other men for economic reasons and none of them are that comfortable with each other. 

Watson is disgusted enough by Milverton that he suggests creating some fake compromising letters, offering them to Milverton for sale, and then having Milverton arrested at the point of sale. Holmes rejects the idea insisting that they can’t make a move until a client is willing to sacrifice their reputation to bring Milverton down. Annoyingly, Holmes never explains why it won’t work. This is out of character for Holmes so while one can argue that Paul couldn’t think of a reason I am going with it being Holmes is out of sorts. Watson, utterly frustrated, complains, “There must be some way to beat this devil,” and Holmes places a comforting hand on Watson’s shoulder. 

Watson thinks Holmes has gone too far in getting engaged for a case, an argument I agree with, but seems to calm down once Holmes says he has a hated rival who will take over although that doesn't solves the fact that Holmes is being a jerk. A jerk for a good cause, certainly, but still a jerk. 

Holmes looks at the bills on the mantle and tells Watson that they need to be paid. Holmes is an adult who can spend 100 pounds on a statue head, but he clearly assumes that paying bills falls under Watson’s domain. Watson does not object or point out that Holmes knows how money works indicating that Watson knows that in their division of labour he is the one who takes care of the bills. It is a practical matter, but delivered in a very “long married couple” way. 

In telling her story Lady Eva mentions that she thinks her maid Lillie got her idea of selling the letters to Milverton because they were both present when Miss Miles received Dorking’s letters. Watson, who is normally the one urging Holmes not to upset clients, and especially female clients, starts to react and we see Holmes hold up his hand to stop him. This is not only a very married gesture, but it is another example of Watson behaving in an unusual way because of Milverton.

In the heat of the moment Watson reacts like he did in “A Scandal in Bohemia” and is willing to break the law for a good cause. However, in a less urgent moment he snaps back at Holmes arguing against Holmes’ idea to turn burgler. Watson cannot bear the thought of Holmes’ destroying his career even if it might be the only way to bring down Milverton. Watson has always been a moral man, but in that moment he cares about Holmes more than justice. He is the one who said there must be a way to defeat this devil, but is deadly opposed to doing so in a way that risk’s Holmes career and well-being. Ironically it is Watson yelling at Holmes to think and see reason and Holmes is the one paralyzed to find another option. This is a complete reversal from their early relationship when Holmes was the mentor. 

During the argument Holmes argues for his idea saying that Watson knows him well enough to know he would never suggest such an energetic course of action if he could think of another way. In “The Empty House” Holmes expresses pleasure that he can still surprise Watson. In “The Master Blackmailer” their comfort and pleasure is in how well they know each other and their trust in each other. It is standard advise not to marry someone until you know how they argue and whether you can live with how they behave during an argument. Holmes and Watson have the confidence in their relationship to know that they can be frustrated with each other and argue without risking the bond between them. 

It is also noteworthy that Holmes says he must commit the burglary as opposed to in “A Scandal in Bohemia” when he asked for Watson’s help. He is willing to sacrifice himself, but not to sacrifice Watson. This time it is deadly serious and against a monster Holmes feels he cannot beat. We saw him gazing at the picture of the falls after reading the letter Dorking wrote to him. Yet he is doing the same thing again and in facing a rival he fears he cannot beat he is trying to do it alone. If he really could be alone he could easily become Milverton. What keeps him Holmes- a good man who helps those who have no where else to turn- is that he has the ability to love. Whether or not you think there is a romantic and/or sexual component to their relationship he has a life partner- Dr. John Watson. He cares about Mrs Hudson. He cares about Lestrade. This strength isn’t just his brain, but also his heart. In their argument both Holmes and Watson are valuing the other one’s well-being over their own.

Of course, Watson ends up helping with the burglary. Both of them knew deep down that if Holmes did it he would not be doing it alone. Having Watson threaten to go to the police if Holmes doesn’t share the adventure with him doesn’t fit Granada Holmes’ version of their relationship and although I love the exchange I am glad that they did not try to squeeze it in. Thankfully they do keep Holmes' light-hearted comment about Watson’s natural gift for burglary. This dark episode needed the humor and it fits perfectly with their relationship. 

Holmes, who rarely looks happy during “Master Blackmailer”, momentarily looks happy and relaxed as he admires Watson dancing. Yet again we see Watson as his conductor of light and a source of happiness even in his darkest moments. 

We can see Watson’s influence on Holmes when he offers Lady Eva his arm for support after telling her that Milverton would not budge. 

The burglary itself is almost an afterthought which is a shame as in canon (and in the Soviet adaptation) it had humour in that would have been appreciated in this dark episode. Perhaps Paul considered it unnecessary as we can see the strength of their relationship throughout the episode and they wouldn’t actually destroy the letters until Milverton was dead. 

Watson closes his eyes and turns away when Lady Swinstead grinds her heel into Milverton’s head, but Holmes continues to watch as if he is punishing himself. Holmes has often taken the law into his own hands, but to stand by and watch an absolutely brutal murder being committed without doing anything to stop it is definitely treading on the dark side. It is primarily if not all of what makes him feel ashamed. 

Holmes’ declaration that Lady Swinstead is free is an emotional moment. He is giving someone else absolution before we learn that he himself is not sure that he deserves it. The end is a promise to the viewer that Holmes will never go “over to the dark side”. He may struggle. He may skirt its edges. But in the end he will be back in front of the fire in 221B with Watson at his side. Interestingly instead being the biographer writing Holmes story at the end Watson is shown reading and it is not clear whether he is reading his own work or Holmes’. 

A scene was shot that included Lestrade coming to ask Holmes to help solve the murder and Holmes’ infamous joke that the description of the man could be Watson, but it was cut. It might have felt out of place after showing the horrors Milverton inflicted, but I would have loved to have seen how Brett, Hardwicke, and Jeavons (Lestrade) played their characters particularly after how angry Holmes and Watson were at Lestrade in their last interaction. 

In terms of BTS information “Bending the Willow” quotes Brett as saying, “If [the relationship between Holmes and Watson] was not in the script, I tried to put it there.”

This episode and “The Man with the Twisted Lip” are the ones that completely convinced me that Edward Hardwicke was aware of the subtext in a non-joking fashion and was actively not shutting it down.

I am aware of Brett’s mental health issues, but Holmes’ behavior is too obviously tied to events in the script to try use Brett’s real life issues to ‘explain things away’. 

The creative team on a television show often do not have complete creative freedom. Real life considerations such as budgets, expected audience reception, etc come into play. LGBTQ content is sometimes toned down or outright eliminated due to real life considerations. An overt everyone can see it openly gay Holmes let alone one in a relationship with Watson would no doubt have been considered too great a risk even if the creative team wanted to do it. It is possible that some of what seems to be weaknesses in the script and filming is due to how much could be shown at the time.


	6. The Intimacy of John

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This essay focuses on the differences importance of name choices when writing or talking about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.

It should be either Holmes and Watson or Sherlock and John. The only time it should be Sherlock and Watson is if they are married and Sherlock decided to take Watson as his last name. (I should note that I have no objection to the later scenario although in Victorian England it would not have been legally recognized and have to have taken place in secret.)

Sherlock is an uncommon name and one that sounds to many people like a last name. In fact it can be a last name (1). However, in the case of Sherlock Holmes it is his first name. If you say “Sherlock” even to people who are not fans of Sherlock Holmes they will immediately know that the Sherlock you are referring to is Sherlock Holmes. The first name Sherlock alone brings to mind an iconic figure.

John is a common name. Chances are most people reading this post have come across a real person named John. It is a name that is a first name, but not to my knowledge a last name. If you say John without context people will not know (except perhaps fandom friends) that you are referring to John Watson. To refer to John Watson as John is to not call on the image of an iconic figure, but of a human being with an ordinary name. It is personal. It is the way you would talk about your friend John. Of course, Watson is not a unique name either. If you don’t know someone’s fandom interests Watson could equally mean Dr. John Watson or Emma Watson, two Watsons that are definitely not interchangeable.

To say “Sherlock and John” is to tie the familiarity and intimacy of John with the iconic image of “Sherlock” and thus to bring Sherlock to the same level of humanity as John. It is a reminder that Sherlock is used as a first name and that using the name has the same level of comfort and intimacy as John. It is to place Sherlock and John on the same level. It emphasizes that the Sherlock Holmes stories are ultimately the story of two human beings who have both strengths and vulnerabilities. Neither is a machine. Neither is an abstraction. They are human beings who are stronger together than apart.

Some people, myself included thanks to never quite breaking free of my literature classes, tend to take a more distanced view when writing meta style posts. I usually use Holmes and Watson when talking about ACD canon and Victorian adaptations. In fanfic whether I use first or last names would depend on the story, whether or not they were in public, and whether Watson is supposedly publishing the story. It might seem like a given in a story with them as a couple to have them use “Sherlock” and “John” in private moments when they were not afraid of being overheard, but one can also argue that they would generally stick to Holmes and Watson to decrease the risk of them accidentally using Sherlock and John in public. People are good at not seeing what is right in front of them if they don’t want to see it, but especially in Granada Holmesverse (or any Holmesverse in which John Watson does not marry) addressing each other as “Sherlock” and “John” in public might have been one step too far. _The Master Blackmailer_ made it clear that Lestrade is anti-mlm and chances are most of the Inspectors and Constables are similarly anti-mlm. If they are a couple in their own minds one can assume they thought of each other as Sherlock and John. If one is writing a modern adaptation Sherlock and John makes more sense if they are talking to each other unless they are undercover and pretending not to know each other.

1\. One of the barristers representing the accused in the Dublin Castle Scandal was named David Sherlock [ Source](http://artemisastarte.tumblr.com/post/168227798551/an-idea-for-anyone-reading-wisteria-lodge-this).


	7. Granada Holmes' Glass Closet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter discusses the interpretation that Holmes and Watson lived in a glass closet on Granada Holmes.

Modern “stories about two male friends” often address the possibility of them being romantically and/or sexually interested in each other by bringing up the possibility and then immediately shutting it down. As little TV as I watch even I have seen writers (or the studio or whoever calls the shots) scramble to throw in a badly written female love interest in an attempt to shut down any speculation that a character or characters aren’t 100% straight. Older shows and film series rarely address the question assuming that it will not occur to most of the audience.

Granada Holmes does neither. When Mary Morstan appears it is as a client only and at the end of the case she walks out of their life never to be seen again. Irene Adler is never presented as a real love interest. In the “Abbey Grange” the parallel between Holmes’ drug addiction and Lady Brackenstall’s story about her deceased husband’s alcohol addiction is shown, but never shut down. In “The Man with the Twisted Lip” the comparison of Holmes and Watson to husbands is brought up in a rather blatant fashion, but not shut down. “The Master Blackmailer” gives evidence of a relationship between Holmes and Watson and having Holmes get fake engaged in order to break into Milverton’s lair is not much of a rebuttal (my previous Chapter 5 addresses a queer reading of The Master Blackmailer).

Until Jeremy Brett’s health made it impossible there is not an episode that doesn’t show elements of a domestic partnership between them. Watson mourns Holmes’ death as a widow mourns a husband. Holmes normally hates being touched, but from the first episode touches Watson. They are clearly the most important people in each other’s lives. Holmes baths with the door open and talks to Watson as Watson is dressing. Watson understands Holmes’ line of reasoning before anyone else. Holmes beams with pride when Watson makes a clever deduction. There is a strong physical and emotional comfort between them. They are comfortable arguing and knowing that they can do so without the other one leaving them.

Watson comments on women’s attractiveness periodically, but that is not much of a rebuttal. He could easily be bisexual (although some gay men find women aesthetically pleasing- they just don’t have a sexual interest in them) and being in a relationship doesn’t mean you are blind. It is rare to find someone in a relationship who truly thinks that their partner is the only attractive person in existence.

Granada Holmes never confirmed their relationship, but it opened up the possibility without shutting it down. Realistically, it wasn’t possible to show them as a confirmed couple at the time Granada Holmes aired. Would they have done so if was possible? We have no way to know. The the time it would have been feasible many of the people involved most notably the wonderful Jeremy Brett were dead. _The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes_ deserves credit for Billy Wilder’s later statements that he saw Holmes as gay and in love with Watson, but couldn’t make it explicit because of the Hays code. However, it was Granada Holmes that came the closest to making Holmes/Watson (Johnlock) canon in terms of aired material.

The term “Glass Closet” is used to describe people, often celebrities, who do not confirm they are LGBTQ, but do not actively hide it. No doubt there have been occasions when open-minded straight people have been assumed to be in a glass closet. You can argue that the same is true for Granada Holmes, but the fact remains that they were aware of the idea and actively did not shut it down.


End file.
